Suteki Tear Drops
by Sonique
Summary: Sequel to Mr. Wonderful: Our favorite set of pint sized hero's are back, and all seems to have settled down. A little. Now, instead of facing each other, these powerful teens must face their emotions which is harder then fighting each other.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning After the End

Whew, I'm glad you're with me this far if you are! Thanks for your reviews, even though I've probably posted all the chapters too fast for many reviews to pop up, so I'm sorry about that. ; Sorry about the beginning of Mr. Wonderful as well, hates me when it comes to puncuation, so from now on, I'll try to find my punctuation seperations and replace them with 3's. For now, I'm posting only the first chapter, because I'm watching Petite Princess Yucie!

Tell me in your review if you watch that show to! 3's for all reviews, especially constructive criticism, and flames…well, they don't exactly make me feel good, but at least you read it, right? Or, at least I can make fun of you in my next set of A/N's! 8D Even better!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU HAVE NOW MET THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR LAZY AUTHORESS. THE COLD, HEARTLESS, EBIL DEMON RULER AUTHORESS. **waves pendants with mah purdy face on em**

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"Man, I hate cleaning up. Why can't somebody else do it for cryin out loud?" I asked nobody in particular as I leaned back on my chair. For once, Okuda wasn't trailing behind me, and Seki wasn't either. It felt kind of like newfound freedom.

No. I couldn't think like that! If I did, then the RowdyRuff Boys would surely collapse.

Picking up two chalk board eraser's and walking to the window, I clapped them together, an array of dusty chalk flying up into my face.

"Achoo!" I sneezed while coughing at the same time. It was a painful combination, and no less, the bruise on the back of my head started to throb again. Everytime it did, I slid in and out of focus, hanging on the edge of passing out. It was so girly and I hated it. Just before lunch, I really did pass out, and Seki was the first one out the door, and Okuda, the first one at my side.

The thought made me chuckle, knowing that the both of them had their own silent agreement that Seki was the faster of the two, and would get the nurse faster, and Okuda…well…he could just be there to show that the two were loyal to me even not as RowdyRuff Boys.

But chuckling made my head hurt too, so I stopped. Damn it! That stupid girl just HAD to shove her friggin hammer into the back of my head. My mom had screamed and fainted upon seeing my head, and I'd been forbidden to go to school the next day. I couldn't believe it, but I was really looking forward to school the next day after that.

My mom kept fussing over me, and it was in the really embarrassing way too.

"Headaaaache…" I moaned, putting a hand gently on the swelling lump.

"No kidding." An uninterested voice came.

Turning around, I saw Seki, who was wiping off the chalk boards with a wet rag.

"What're you doin?" I asked curiously, "It's my turn to clean isn't it?"

"Yep." He replied simply, not pausing, "But I thought you could use some help anyway."

I blinked and shooked my head. I stumbled forward and caught myself on some guy name Hikaru's desk. Shaking my head wasn't a good idea, because it made my entire world sway, me with it.

Seki stared at me for a minute before I muttered that I was fine, then returned to wiping the math equations off the white board.

"Where's Okuda?" I asked Seki.

"He's terrorizing the kindergardeners." Seki replied casually.

"Again…" I added boredly, "Really, I don't know where he finds the energy to do something like that after…"

"You're…." Seki paused and turned to stare at me. I hated his stare, because it was blank, and unblinking. Blank was the worst though, because I could never figure out whether he was angry, sad, happy, or surprised, and would have to take a wild guess. More often then not, my guess ended up on the opposite side the answer was, "…guilty?"

I blinked in confusion, and threw myself into Hikaru's chair.

"No." I replied stiffly.

Seki continued to stare at me, even though I couldn't see him, I could feel his eyes burning through the back of my head.

"You're guilty." He decided finally, tossing the rag into the classroom sink, and sitting down too. We'd finished most everything, or, I had at least. Before Seki came, I'd already sweeped, taken out the trash, and mopped.

"Why would I be sad?" I snapped irritably.

Seki didn't respond for a long time, instead he sat down and opened up his notebook again. The page he was on remained blank for 5 minutes, before he put his lead onto the page and began to draw, saying, "I can see right through you, and everyone else. You're guilty because what you did to them was more then you, or anyone else could've planned. They haven't been to school in two weeks Asuma-"

"I'm not guilty!" I slammed a fist down on Hikaru's desk, denting it a bit, "Why should I be! They got exactly what they deserved! We're the RowdyRuff Boys and they're the PowderPuff Girls, there's nothing more to it!"

Seki didn't say anything, but continued to draw. I couldn't care less what he was drawing, or why he suddenly seemed to be obsessed with that notebook of his. I wasn't guilty. If I was, then I shouldn't have been. I was just wiped from all the energy spent on dodging and attacking.

Just spent, that's all.

"Damn kindergardeners." Okuda grumbled, sliding the door open roughly with his good arm.

"What, did they beat you up?" I asked, smirking at Okuda's pain wracked expression.

Okuda shook his head and fell into his seat, "They pulled on my arm and when I flinched they kept pulling and stuff. I swear my arm just died again."

Seki scoffed, but put a hand to his mouth as though in thought, easily avoiding Okuda's death glare.

"Asuma is suffering from a light case of guilt." Seki told Okuda, who smirked and laughed.

"No kidding? I sort of am too, but that guilt is more over starting the fight so that Kaoru could jab her hammer at my shoulder and kill it." He laughed, and continued, "Oh well. I guess that's what happens when you're villians."

Folding my arms on the desk and laying my forehead on them, I groaned, "My head hurts like hell."

Seki blinked and said, "I'm not too shaken up. Bubbles didn't do anything to me, just kept yelling my name and telling me to stop. Wasn't too bad, comparing to Okuda."

"Evil. That's what that girl is." He muttered darkly, glancing at his now swollen purple shoulder.

"That's what they all are. That yo-yo kept on digging itself into my back a million times over." I snapped, "I've got all these burns on my back from the yo-yo spinning."

"Bruises." Okuda shrugged, "That's what I've got. And they're all frickin sore."

"Look on the brightside, we won." Seki said, not all too cheerfully.

Standing up and feeling the ground beneath my feet sway, causing me to sit back down, I pulled off my cap and was surprised to see the back a little darker red then I remembered. Seki had stopped drawing and was staring at me now, as was Okuda.

Lightly touching the back of my head, I stared incredulously at the blotchy crimson now smeared across my fingertips.

"Shit." I managed to choke out.

"Here we go again." Seki sighed, putting down his pencil and walking to the door, disappearing.

Okuda shook his head and shrugged, "You got it pretty bad sir."

I almost smirked, but I couldn't find the energy to, either that, or I just couldn't remember how, "What's Seki drawing?" I decided to ask instead.

Okuda leaned backwards and took a look at the paper, saying, "Looks like a head. It's probably a person."

Blinking, my grip tightened on my cap. I knew who it was. Or, I could give an educated guess. Standing up and stumbling over to Seki's desk, I glared down at the light outline of a head, perfectly porportioned in every way possible. I could see that Seki had almost started on the hairline, and I instantly knew exactly who it was, from the ugly part.

Seki returned with the nurse, before I could smear the red on my fingers across the forehead of the picture, and pushing me away from Seki's desk and out of the room, I glared at Seki, who stared blankly back at me, knowing exactly what I was thinking.

I don't know why I had started to draw her. It'd been ages since I had drawn anything, but why her? I didn't know, and currently, I didn't care. I just kept adding to it, her eyes, in which I tried to catch the laugh that was always in it, but ending up with a dullened dead look, trying to draw her bouncy curly pigtails, but ending up with her hair down, curled only at the bottom, trying to draw her perfect smile and laugh, but ending up with lips only barely parted.

I hated the drawing, and yet, I continued to add. Her torn and ragged vest, dirt smeared dress, and her scraped and scratched legs, that seemed ready to collapse right in the drawing. Her hands were halfway up to her face, ready to cover her eyes when the tears at the edge of her eyes finally rolled down her cheeks.

Putting down my pencil, I stared at my most vivid memory of her, after she'd grasped my hand lightly and begged me to stop and after I'd pulled my hand away from her, disgusted.

Glaring down at the picture, I finally added the five broken pieces of her bubble wand at her feet, and two round ovals to represent her hair ties, which lay 10 inches away from my hand.

I decided wordlessly, that this was the way I wanted to remember her. Broken and torn to pieces.

But, no matter what I added to the picture, I couldn't be satisfied. I added colors, dull and greyish blues and yellows, jet blacks, and using single grains of glitter to add to her tears, that sparkled against the dull background of demolished buildings, some aflame.

"My that's a very beautiful picture sir, would you like me to find a frame for it?" Coral asked, rather unnerved by my silent fervor to add the one thing that would complete the drawing.

I paused, and Coral stiffened, wondering if it had been wrong to interuppt me, but soon afterwards, I nodded, and uttered a quiet, "Yes, thank you."

She rushed off to find it, and it took her quite some time, because she was trying to avoid seeing me in such an annoyed state.

I couldn't figure out what was missing, and it bothered me so much that I abandoned the drawing and decided to looked through my old sketches for anything that might tell me what it was missing.

Was it her usual happiness in general, that I had decided not to add into the picture, that was bothering me? Sighing I asked Coral to put the frame on my desk, that I wasn't quite finished, and I would put it in myself. Dismissing her for the day, I needed to clear my head and picked up my laptop, too lazy to change out of my stupid uniform.

My buddy list was entirely grey, save for three usernames.

Dye  
Mr.Boss  
SutekiTearDrops

SutekiTearDrops says: Hi Seki!

Sonique has signed off.

I swear my heart was going 500 miles per hour as I slammed the monitor of my laptop shut, and stared at the cover in blank amazement.

Shaking my head roughly, I pulled out a clean pair of clothes, navy polo khaki pants, and took a cold shower. I needed to stop thinking in general, but even the freezing cold couldn't clear my mind. My dad was coming home today, and I needed to have all my attention to give to him, otherwise he would be extremely annoyed.

Speaking of that…wrapping the white towel around my waist, I stared at the clothes for a minute before deciding, why not piss him off a bit?

Deciding to wear what I always wore (just different colors,) a light blue summer hooded vest, unzipped, a black t-shirt, and a pair of casual jeans that overlapped itself at the bottom, I almost laughed when my mom nearly fainted at the sight of me.

By then, it was too late to order me to go change- my dad had already seen me.

"Finally dressing your age Seki?" He asked me, staring at me with dark blue eyes that were as cold as mine, "It's about time."

My mom gaped, and I realized that my 'piss-him-off' plan had backfired. Either way, the outcome didn't bother me, it was my mom's expression that made it all worthwhile.

After a stiff and quiet dinner of only my father telling me how to run his business properly, I sat down at my desk again and stared at the picture. It looked sadder at second glance. It made me feel the guilt that Asuma felt. Blinking down at the picture, I picked up my pencil and lighty touched the tip to the base of her neck, sketching slowly and tentatively.

I moved from her neck, and picked up three individual sparkles, and delicately glued them onto the necklace. I did the same for the earrings, two sparkles on either side.

I felt like it was finished now, and sliding the picture into the frame Coral had provided I stashed it into my empty nightstand drawer just before my mom came in, asking me if I would come with her.

Nodding, I followed her into my father's study, and she looked extremely excited.

"Seki, as you know, you will be turning fourteen in three months, after your barbaric friends Asuma and Okuda." My father started, and I felt the sudden urge to slam my fist into his mouth for calling Asuma and Okuda 'barbaric', no matter how true it was.

"And you know that at the age of 16, you will be able to take some shares of the family business."

The family business? More the world's business.

"So I have found you the fiancee I was telling you about last year." My father continued and my blank expression shattered from indifferent, to horrified, making my father laugh as he said, "Don't worry, she's beautiful, graceful, kind, and I've made sure she can preform everything a woman needs to know. Wouldn't you like to meet her?"

"No." I snapped.

"Seki!" My mother scolded, "Don't be rude, let your father show you her picture!"

I reluctantly did, and grimaced at the brunette in the picture. I found her to be the most ugly thing I'd ever seen, even though she was probably not that bad looking. She looked disgustingly plain.

"She'd ugly. And she looks like she could bore me to death." I snapped, "I'm not marrying her."

"It's her or no one Seki." My father said, just as irritated.

"Who do you have your sight's on Seki? Go on, tell me." My mother wheedled. She hated not knowing anything about me, and took every chance to figure out what was going on with me. I decided that it wouldn't hurt to tell her this time.

I took a breath, glared at her and my dad before saying, "I don't want to marry anybody."

"Waai," My mother whined like a child, "Seeeki! Just tell me! We might be able to arrange something!"

"I told you, I don't want to marry ANYBODY!" I yelled, and my mother and father fell silent, "I hate girls, I hate them, and if I want to marry somebody, I'LL ASK THEM MYSELF!"

I stormed away from my parents.

The door to my father's study slammed shut.


	2. Chapter 2: A Flurry of Green

Chapter 2: A Flurry of Green

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"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I couldn't stop laughing. I was laughing so hard that my entire body shook, and threatened to make me fall off the second level of the jungle gym. I couldn't sit at the top, because that was Asuma's spot. I didn't want to sit on the third level, because that was Seki's spot. The second level was my spot, and none of us ever sat in the other's spot.

Seki had just told us about his outburst yesterday at getting a fiancee.

"Noooo way!" Asuma was laughing too, but less hard then me.

It was starting to get colder with the winter coming around, but I'd still worn shorts. Pants bothered the heck outta me, but to make sure my mom didn't force me to stay inside, I'd worn a black longsleeved shirt underneath my baggy green t-shit. Not that it did much to keep me warm, and it's not like I was cold in the first place.

"So what happened to the drawing you drew yesterday?" I asked Seki, who was wearing his usual vest, beige in color this time with a black longsleeved turtleneck and khaki pants. He always wore really weird clothes in my opinion, but that just went to show what happened when my style clashed with Asuma's.

"Here. Don't drop it or break it. It took all night." Seki handed me a frame, and I stared at the depressing scene, "Damn, this is good, but it's kinda freaky."

Asuma snatched it away from me and stared, "Certainly not what I had been expecting you to draw. Good job Seki, I like it."

"Wasn't what I was planning on drawing either." Seki said, taking the frame out of Asuma's hands and putting it back in his backpack, "Do either of you know when they're getting back to school?"

Asuma shook his head and I scoffed, "Yeah."

The two looked at me and I blinked, "I said that out loud didn't I?"

"When?" Seki asked, and I sighed, banging the back of my head against Asuma's level, making him flinch upon the sight.

"Tomorrow."

"And how do you know this?" Asuma asked slowly and smoothly, his voice dripping with venomous honey.

"Er…" I folded my arms and decided to spit it out, "I went to the lab yesterday, and was originally planning on giving them a good scare, but it didn't really work out that way…"

Seki shook his head in exhasperation, and being on the second to first level from the ground, I hopped off easily, without making any thud sounds.

"Why do you need to know?" I asked, shoving my hands into my pockets.

"I'll see you later." Seki said simply, walking off.

Asuma rolled his eyes, and hopped off too, "I'll see you later Okuda, I've got to go babysit my brat."

His 'brat' was his little brother, who saw Asuma as a bumbling idiot not worth listening to, Seki as the god and hero of the world, and myself, as the plain human who lived in the middle of stupidity and endless wisdom. To tell you the truth, I didn't think he was that annoying, but Asuma thought he was given birth directly from the earth's core, which is why he had such a 'friggin temper'. 

Seki…hell I couldn't tell if he liked the kid or not. Sure he'd been acting more human lately, but he was still freakily silent. Sometimes, I wondered how someone as idiotic as Boomer could've picked a host as silent and indifferent as Seki. I hadn't told anyone, but I could feel it. When I was fighting, I wasn't fighting the way I would've liked. More like, I couldn't.

I someone forgot my street fighting and got some kind of fancy shmancy karate crap to work with, and no matter how hard I tried I could deliever a blatant straight blow.

My theory became, Brick, Butch and Boomer were different people who's powers and abilities got shoved up OUR asses because we were hanging out on the jungle gym the moment those black glow things hit the jungle gym.

Three, black glow things that is. I had heard Seki tell us that they called them black lights.

I scoffed, alone on the jungle gym now, and muttered to myself, "How can a black light be called 'light'?"

I didn't know how I would deal with them after they got back to school tomorrow. They would no doubtedly be extremely angry, either that, or fearful. I doubted they would be fearful. Well, at least, Kaoru wouldn't. She'd probably try and pick ANOTHER fight, which, would be the stupidest thing ever, but the best to do for her pride.

I didn't feel like fighting for once. My shoulder stung every time I moved it, though I didn't tell anybody. Asuma and Seki hadn't noticed that my arm was incredibly stiff today. That's because I'd bandaged it up, so it wouldn't move as much.

It still hurt like hell.

Wetting my lips against the dry cold air, I wondered when I would get off the jungle gym this time. This was my favorite place in town. Not even the skate park or the arcade was better then here in my opinion. Why? Hell, I dunno. I just liked it. It was Asuma who liked the arcade and stuff. I liked the gym better then the arcade, but whatever.

That didn't matter.

If Asuma liked the arcade, I just went with him. It was boring doing things alone.

The sounds of wheels reached my ears, and I sighed, tilting my head back to meet my gaze with the sun. Damn I didn't want to talk to her right now.

She didn't either, apparently, because the moment she saw me hanging out on the jungle gym, she sped away in the opposite direction. Either way, I'd caught my glimpse of her. She wore a yellow letter jacket, and her cheek had a big purple smear on it.

I remembered that punch.

Then, her other cheek was all scratched up. That was probably from when I'd stepped on her head and dug it into the ground.

Scoffing, I made no effort to go after her. Why would I? I'd been planning all last night, ways to avoid her and avoid talking to her in general. Or even looking at her.

Everything already seemed extremely awkward when we were stuck together as the two who weren't off dating, and I'd gone off and made it even more awkward. Beautiful idea, really.

Ah the sarcasm.

Hopping off the jungle gym and picking up my own skateboard, plain black with nothing on the back other then 'Butch' written in green sharpie, I skated off toward the direction Kaoru wasn't heading. Home, I guess.

If you could call it that. Fifteen minutes later I arrived in front of a rather run-down apartment building, that Asuma liked to call 'haunted' and what Seki liked to call 'a bedroom'. Yeah, my apartment was probably half the size of his bedroom, but really, he was a rich bastard. Who cared, when honestly, my apartment BUILDING could fit fifteen times over in his mansion?

It bugged me out when he called his mansion a house, but I just took a wild guess to say he had an even bigger mansion somewhere. Probably in America or something.

Kicking open the already half destroyed door (no thanks to me and my brother,) my Dad looked up from his desk and said, "How's the shoulder?"

Raising my good arm I gave him a bored thumbs up, "Where's Jin?"

Dad's mouth seemed to open and close as though trying to taste something, then said, "I haven't the slightest idea."

Rolling my eyes I nodded sarcastically and said, "Oh yeah, for once you don't know where he is!"

"He wasn't in bed this morning." Dad defended himself, trying to keep his cool and trying to concentrate on his papers.

Dad was a business man. Dad sucked at his job. Dad sucked at raising Jin. Dad sucked at raising me. Dad sucked at keeping his temper from getting the best of him. Dad sucked at cooking. Dad sucked at keeping Mom around long enough to take me away from this stupid place.

Dad, sucked, in general.

But you wouldn't hear me say that out loud anytime soon. Not until I wanted my hair pulled out of my head, one by one, my skin peeled off little by little, like an onion, and my butt slapped humiliatingly, until I could show my butt or face in public.

Dad treated us like kids. That's why Jin was constantly out. Jin had 3 tattoo's, one on his face up his cheek, a huge one on his back and another in a place that I hadn't bothered to look. Why? So he could piss off Dad of course. I got myself into fights and gang rumbles. Why? So I could piss off Dad of course. Jin was constantly out drinking. Why? So he could piss off Dad of course. I made friends with Seki, who always grimaced at my Dad everytime he saw him. Why? So I could piss off Dad of course.

"What's for dinner?" I asked, tossing my skateboard aside carelessly.

"You tell me." He told me, signing his name on a piece of paper.

If you really must know, Jin sometimes calls me 'mom' because I'm the only one in the family who knows how to operate a stove, microwave, and toaster.

I usually spend my nights at Asuma or Seki's house, because…well, look around me!

A gray couch that had been originally white sat broken in front of the shattered TV, and two yellow circles were exactly where people sat. Yeeeah, the yellow circles weren't originally there either. I think Jin did one on purpose and the other on accident. Then, there was the day I had thrown my old skate board into the TV, just to spite Dad. I didn't need TV. Jin didn't need TV. It was Jin's idea anyway.

Then there was the moldy walls, the wallpaper slowly peeling off. Then, there was the carpet, which was too gross to describe, and the floor of the miniscule kitchen was concrete, because Dad couldn't afford tile. Same thing with the bathrooms, although, I wasn't entirely sure if the bathrooms were safe to use anymore.

Sighing as I heated a can of soup for Dad, I knew that the only reason we had a phone was because the phone was Dad's job.

So, I could call Asuma and Seki all I wanted.

I had a cellphone, because Seki had bought me one.

My Dad had a cellphone, because his business called for one.

Dad didn't know I had a cellphone, otherwise, I would've been screwed. That's why it was always on silent. That's why, I never picked up my cellphone.

"Dinner." I said dully, putting down a bowl of 25 cent chicken noodle soup in front of Dad and announcing that I was going back out. Dad didn't care, and neither did I. Picking up my skateboard, I returned to the jungle gym, where I was sure Seki and Asuma would never find, nor notice me. I didn't feel like staying at Asuma's, where his mom would fuss over me and dramatize my less the great quality of life, and neither did I feel like staying at Seki's where butlers and maids would flood the room until I couldn't even breathe.

I would just hang out at the jungle gym until daybreak, and then head to school. I'd finished all my homework at school, during that help session thing. I didn't go for help, since I was the smartest one in my family, (though that wasn't saying much,) I went because there were the supplies I needed there.

Tossing my skateboard at the foot of the jungle gym, I climbed to the second level from the top, my level, and leaned back, so that I was laying down instead of sitting up. It wasn't the most comfortable the first time I'd done it, but I was used to it now.

The sky was now orange and bloodred, and it would be impossible to sleep tonight. Cars, streetlamps, and police asking me why I was there.

I always told them the same thing- "Because I'm camping out."

After about a month of this, they started to not care, and called me the 'jungle gym boy', and would sometimes leave a donut or something out for me in the mornings, after finishing their night patrol and seeing me.

They also knew me as the 'trouble kid', because I got into so many fights that could never be proven that I'd been there, and that I'd done anything. They knew me well enough to know I'd been there.

I sighed when I heard one of those very police walking up to me, and not even bothering to look, like every other time, I said, "Hello."

"What're you still doing here?" She aksed, making my eyes open.

I didn't look at her, even when I was sitting up, but I knew she probably had a confused look on her face, or at least an indignant and curious one.

"I'm camping out." I told her irritably.

She raised an eyebrow. I still didn't have to look to know.

"On the jungle gym?" She asked, tapping her fingers on her skateboard.

"Seems like it." I replied sarcastically, leaning back again.

It was quiet for awhile, and that awkward silence came back. It didn't seem to bother her though, because she sat down on Seki's level and asked me why I was camping out.

"Because…" Hell no I wouldn't tell her the truth, "I like it here."

"You're an idiot." She said, as though finally deciding on it.

"I'm flattered." I replied.

Another silence, before I asked, "What're you doing here?"

Kaoru glanced over her shoulder and shrugged, "I wanted to see if the trap we set for Miyako that day was still here, but I saw you instead."

I shook my head and said, "I took it apart."

"Ah…"

Damn I was the only one thinking this was awkward I swear. Considering her bored and rather uncaring expression, she certainly wasn't as irked as I was.

"You took awhile to heal." I said, trying to strike up a conversation, as long as she refused to leave.

"No, you took little time, that's all. I see your shoulder is still dead." She smirked and I sat up, muttering quickly, "It's fine."

Turning around and climbing up to my level she smirked at me, making my face burn, but that was soon gone when she flicked my bandaged shoulder. I gave a sharp howl and scrambled away from her, while she laughed her head off.

"Witch!" I spat, rubbing my shoulder lightly.

She shrugged, and climbed up onto Asuma's level, the single box at the top as she said, "So why are you here?"

"I told you-"

"So…tell me the real reason." She interuppted smirking at me and forming a threatening fist, aiming it at my shoulder. She would jab before I could finish saying 'no' or dodge.

I opened my mouth, then closed it, unsure of what to say, as though I were chewing on my words, "Nosy brat," I mumbled to myself before answering her, saying, "I hate where I live." Half of the truth.

"Oooh," She said, lowering her fist, "so that's how it is." Folding her arms and closing her eyes, she took a breath to say something else, but I saw my chance.

Getting to my feet at lightning speed for someone on a jungle gym, I pushed her, though not as hard as the first time, and only sent her butt flying through the top square of the jungle gym, for my revenge. I could stop laughing at her bewildered and cherry red face. When I'd pushed her, me being on the second level, I had accidentally gone a little bit lower on her neck then I'd intended, but it didn't matter to me. I couldn't stop laughing!

But I stopped when a shoe collided with my face, leaving another black imprint. She smirked and brushed herself off, saying, "You really are a barbarian."

Grumbling, "No I'm not." I sat back up and rubbed the dirt off my face, wondering just where that shoe had been.

She sat down, on my level, stretching before she said, "Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow then. I'd better get back before I get in some serious shit." I couldn't help but laugh, thinking that if I went back, I'd be in some serious shit for comin' back, not bein' late.

"I'll see you later!" She said, hopping onto her skateboard.

I gave a mock salute for a wave and sigheds staring after her for a minute before-. Wait.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-ho-ho. No.


	3. Chapter 3: What Leads to the Leave

"I'm hooome." I called into the for sure empty house, save for-

"Where's Seki?!"

Sighing I ignored my brat and pushed open the swinging doors to the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge for something to eat.

"You were SUPPOSED to be home half an hour ago! To baby-sit me, REMEMBER?" Tekai pointed at an imaginary watch on his wrist and I pulled out an old jar of apple sauce and made a face, throwing it away.

"You're supposed to empty out the jars!!" Tekai said, trying to stop me, "I'M TELLING MOM!!" He wailed, the little tattletail rat he was.

I nodded and said, "Uh-huh, you do that, and while you do, can you go grab my mathbook from my backpack?" I asked sarcastically. Amazingly, Tekai did it, though he took his time, to piss me off so that I'd have to wait on the couch of the TV for forever.

"Heeere." Tekai held out a book for me. It wasn't my mathbook.

Throwing my hands up in the air, I snatched my literature book out of his hands and got my mathbook. I guess I couldn't blame him, since he couldn't read yet….but, I blamed him anyway.

"This is my literature book, not my mathbook." I said, waving the flimsy book in Tekai's face before grabbing my backpack. There was one good thing about my brat that was something that might've been worth being nice to him every once in awhile. He wasn't a girl. Even though I hated him, every single night I told him scary stories about girls.

Hey, somebody had to take over being Brick when my hormones got a good kick in on the ass.

I stopped and blinked. Where'd that come from?

Whatever, I decided, flipping open my mathbook and copying down some equations. Tekai leaned over the back of the couch and watched me curiously.

"What's that picture?"

I blinked and looked down, seeing only symbols and numbers. Picture? Did I accidentally take Seki's picture?

"They're division signs." I said blatantly.

"Oh." Tekai blinked and hurried into the kitchen, "Can I sing the ABC's?" He called to me. Looking up in annoyance, I knew that Tekai wanted to be the smartest kid in his kindergarten class, and he could already do big numbers with zeros, like 1000 + 1000. Because I'd taught him the trick, 'ignore the friggin zeros'.

But now he was going on about how he wanted to be able to read my literature book before kindergarten, and I told him that he could dream on.

I doubted he'd ever even heard the words 'Where art thy heart Romeo?' or whatever that dude had written that we were studying for the winter play. I wasn't even going to sign-up, therefore, it nullified the reason to study it, but it suddenly became a requirement!

It was a conspiracy against me, I swear as I listened to Tekai sing.

"AAAAAAYYYY, BEEEEEE, SEEEEEE, DEEEEEE, EEEEHHH,"

"E." I muttered under my breath.

"EFFFFFF, GEEEEEEE!!!"

Slamming my head into my heavy mathbook I froze and felt a shiver of pain and agony go up my spine. Head spinning I heard Tekai stop singing and ask, "Asuma?"

At least I couldn't hear him singing anymore. At least I didn't have to go to school tomorrow, and present my unfinished math homework. When I woke up it was blindingly bright, and the back of my head was extremely sore, plus EXTREMELY cold.

My mom was making a drama scene, and it was annoying me.

"Asuuuuma!!" She whined, throwing her arms around my head when she noticed I was awake, "Why didn't you tell me about that bump on your head?! You always wear that cap so I never noticed!! It's not good- you gave Tekai a heart attack! Tekai thought you'd died!!"

In a way, I wish I had.

"Come on, lift up your head you're making the ice packs all bloody, TEKAI!" She called.

I looked around, anything to get her out of here, but saw nothing. A plain desk in the corner, a wooden warbrobe in the other and the bed I was on. Sure it was better then Okuda's, but he had things in his room that could get people out of his room. Like, time poppers, that when his Dad was turned around, he could throw out the window to make a huge 'boom' sound that would freak out his Dad so much he'd go out and scold whoever was doing it.

Tekai came in with a white towel and another ice pack, and my mom replaced the one that had been underneath me with this set. Upon seeing the dripping wet towel that I knew was once white for my mom's love of white and bleach I felt my world shift again. The towel had a perfect circle of red, my own blood.

"Well, you get some good rest okay Asuma? You're not going to school until that cut of yours is all healed up, and STAY IN YOUR BED."

Yeah right. Like I'd stay in bed all day, letting my room become my prison. There would be nobody around but Tekai to notice I was gone, and if I could shoo Tekai out, freedom would be mine. I'd give Seki and Okuda a call and we'd meet at the arcade, or the park, or even the friggin library! Suddenly, everywhere, seemed better then here.

I had to wait all day,until school was over, and sent Tekai off to the arcade with a friend, where I knew they'd stay for hours on end. That marked my idea of arcade as a no, and picking up the phone I dialed Okuda first. No answer, because he never answered his cell.

Seki. No answer. I forgot, he had piano lessons today.

Well it sure as hell wasn't worth goin' nowhere without Seki or Okuda. 

Climbing dejectedly back into bed, I tentatively moved my fingers over the back of my head. Had that bitch really hit me that hard?

Feeling a long smooth gash across the back of my head, I decided, it wasn't from her hammer. I probably cut myself on a rock when I landed, since I had hit the ground head first, and the bruise from her hammer had probably made the back of my head really easy to slice open.

Groaning, I suddenly felt like I'd just had brain surgery.

The splitting headache sure as hell made it feel like it.

I turned my head to stare out of my window, glaring, and wishing death, for those annoying _birds_. They just made my headache worse!

If I could've, I would've dipped each and every one of those singing birds in boiling OIL. 

Slowly.

Imagining the painful and slow death of the birds strangely helped me drift in and out of sleep, my headache leaving me during the instances of unconciousness…that is until.

"MY POOR BAAAAAAAAABBBBYYYYYYY!!!!" My Mom's voice screeched as the door to my room slammed open.

Headache was back.

"I can't believe you let Tekai go to the arcade and leave you all alone here!" She wailed childishly, and I wished for my dad to get home and pry her off of me. He would give me a REAL remedy to this headache, instead of screaming and yelling.

"I'm fine Mom." I said quietly.

She seemed to notice my dark expression and quiet voice, and her eyes instantly grew as round as disks, watery and huge as she whimpered, "Am…Am I bothering you?!"

"No, I'm just trying sleep is all." I lied sarcastically.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!!" She wailed, and the door slammed shut again.

Finally.

"What's all the ruckus?" I heard my Dad ask, and my mom instantly tumble down the stairs to meet him and tell him everything. She was very gossipy, and she constantly acted like she was my age. Or, to be more accurate, Tekai's age.

I heard my dad sighing and trudging up the stairs. I wasn't on the best terms with him, but at least he was down to earth, as compared to my mom.

The door opened again, less loudly, more slowly.

"So what have you done now?" He asked me, peering at my head through his square silver glasses. He was a lawyer, and what bothered me and Tekai the most was that he was never home, either that, or he was constantly barking orders at us to get him something, or finish our vegetables or homework. In other words, you will never meet a more uptight man, then my dad.

He insisted we call him 'father'. Like Seki did for his dad.

Me and Tekai liked to joke about this, blatantly in front of his face, and for not wanting to seem like he was eavesdropping, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. 

He was proud of me for making friends with Seki, such a high and prestigious family such as the Kokuji family was definetely worth keeping ties with, as he said.

To hell with that. I'd been friends with Seki since kindergarten. My dad figured out we were friends in sixth grade.

Just goes to show how much he knows about the lives of anybody but his own.

"Well then," My dad pull up a chair, and sat down with his legs crossed over one another, like Seki did, "How did you get this cut?" He asked me staring at me unblinkingly. My mom was shifting from foot to foot, as though she was nervous for my answer, and had waited for my dad to come ask instead.

Piss him off and get grounded for a month, or lie to him and get grounded for a month?

Piss him off and get grounded, I decided.

"I got in a fight." I said, glaring at him.

"Oh did you now?" He asked, snapping his fingers and telling my mom to go get another ice pack, "And just why did you fight? Who did you fight with?"

I rolled my eyes, "Just because you're a lawyer doesn't mean you get to know everything."

"Funny." My dad said opening his ledger, "Now then, was it that terrible Okuda child? I've told you he's a bad influence and now you've fought with him. I see how it is."

I slowly sat up, gaping at my dad as though he was the craziest man on earth, (something I didn't deny) and said in the dark voice I used when Seki and Okuda were being stupid, "Okuda had nothing to do with this."

"I see." My dad didn't seem convinced, "Who was it then?"

I racked my brain and blurted out the first name I could think of.

"Brick."

"I see, well, I should imagine you'd get yourself brutally injured with a run-in with one of the RowdyRuff Boys I really think someone should bring justice to those unruly children."

_'I think I just created a monster'_ I thought, leaning back and letting my head rest on the towel.

"I've had many many clients come in and complain about insurance policies for the damage the RowdyRuff Boys have caused, and even though it does support the family, it's rather a pain to have the same source of injustice for all your cases, I'm sure you understand such monotony." My dad drawled, "No less, have you seen the injuries they've dealt to the PowerPuff Girls Z?"

He had my attention now.

"I'm amazed they weren't dead! Thanks to Professor Utonium's invention though, they were better enough to be back in action, according to the Mayor." He said, "But really, those boys aren't just causing trouble for people anymore, they're killing machines!"

I stared at my dad as he continued to complain about us, and he noticed, flushing and saying, "Oh my I've gone off on another rampage haven't I?"

I didn't reply, simply kept staring. Killing machines? We hadn't killed anyone…yet.

"What kind of injuries did the girls have?" I finally asked, and my dad was excited that I'd finally taken some interest in things that he had to say.

"Well, Bubbles suffered some cuts and bruises on her arms and legs, and minor traumatic bleeding on her left upper arm, while Buttercup had paralysis in her entire right leg and hand, from being crushed under that building for so long, but it has been told that she has entirely recovered." He took a breath and I blinked, "Blossom suffered what looked like a hit to the head, much like yourself, and she's forgotten a few unimportant things, such as what day it was when she awoke and momentarily forgot how to use her yo-yo, but her yo-yo memory was fixed up before she even regained conciousness. They all suffered numerous bruises and scratches, that will probably leave them sore for a few more weeks, but they're otherwise fine, thank goodness."

I blinked.

"Terrible things those RowdyRuffs did to the PowerPuff Girls Z." My dad sighed and glanced at his watch, "Well I'm going to go get myself some dinner, now you think over what you did to get that cut on the back of your head and I never want you to involve yourself with those RowdyRuff Boys Z okay?"

The door closed and I blinked again.

"A little too late." I muttered darkly.

Now that I knew what had happened to them, I didn't feel so bad. Maybe it just felt worse when I was kicking her or punching, but now that I knew that I hadn't really done anything life threatening to her, I didn't feel like I needed to apologize.

Apologize for what? Winning?

Over my dead body.

+ 

"Well…" I tapped my chin thoughtfully, "It's not really to my liking."

An annoyed butler was adjusting my drawing on the wall, as he'd been moving it inch, centimeter, millimeter, for the past half hour or so. He was irked I could tell, and I was about to irk him more.

"I think I'll keep it in my drawer." I finally decided and the butler, I could tell, was trying extremely hard not to throw the frame at me.

He yanked open the drawer, put it in gently because he knew that his family would get hunted if he mangled the drawing in the least, and excused himself. I blinked, my hands underneath the opposite elbow in a loose way of folding my arms and said, "How rude."

I wasn't going to think on it for long though, because I had to get ready for tonight. Not like I wanted to, but I didn't have a choice. Since I had shunned that other girl or whatever that was supposed to be my fiance, my parents had arranged a "party" as they called it, to find me a fiance to my liking. It was more a business party then anything, the fiance was just an excuse in my opinion. I'd insisted that if I was to attend, Asuma and Okuda had to as well, and my parents reluctantly agreed on the conditions that they were on their best behavior.

Okuda and Asuma being mannerly was possible, I'd experienced it before, and it left me with nightmares for a month.

Literally.

Banging the door open Asuma sighed, rubbing the back of his head lightly, "How am I supposed to do anything with his headache?" He muttered, pulling off his hat and tossing it onto my bed, "No less all your maids and butlers are yelling their heads off."

"It's always like this before a party. My dad comes home and everything has to be perfect before, during, and after the party because of him." I said, pressing a small blue button that was near impossible to see against the wall.

Two maids, and two butler's burst into my room and two grabbed Okuda, who had just barely taken a step into my room, and the others grabbed Asuma.

They needed some serious cleaning up.

Turning to face my full body mirror, I decided that they weren't the only ones, and proceeded to the shower. Although, halfway through a maid knocked on the bathroom door and said nervously, "Please do hurry Master Kokuji! You're father will arrive in less then 10 minutes!"

Damn.

I was finished within three minutes, and getting dressed within another three. My dad hated to wait. Especially for me.

Pulling on my plain blue dress shirt (hell would take me before I buttoned it up all the way, therefore, the small silver necklace on the base of my neck could be seen,) I paused for a moment. My mom would probably die because I never buttoned up my shirt all the way, and she could see my neck, but I didn't care anymore.

She wouldn't have time to scold me.

"Seki…" Asuma's annoyed voice came from the doorway, as I lightly turned my gaze to him.

Wearing a crimson red dress shirt, kind of like my dark blue one, his face was the same shade as his shirt. I forgot that my shirt was still unbuttoned and Asuma had just pushed my door wide open, before I started to laugh, quietly at first, until it became a real genuine one that I just couldn't hold back.

"Talk about highwaters!" I said talking about his tucked his shirt and pants.

"Shut up!" Asuma snapped, "You're stupid maids screwed everything up!!" He pulled his shirt (or rather mine) out of his pants and snapped, "Who tucks in their shirts THIS high these days?! Even you didn't tuck it in!"

Okuda boredly pushed Asuma aside, wearing his forest green shirt like I was wearing my shirt- in other words, he hadn't bothered to button it up, and was walking around.

Barbarian indeed.

I stopped laughing enough to button up my shirt, leaving two buttons at the top of the garment the way they were. I pointed silently at Okuda who rolled his eyes and buttoned up his shirt as well- leaving three buttons untouched. Oddly enough, my maids had shoved a tie over his head, though it was obvious Okuda had loosened it considerably, by the way the knot hung dejectedly in the middle of his torso.

Disheveled look.

Asuma pulled the very top button of his shirt away from his neck, leaving that button and only that button undone. He perhaps looked the most formal out of the three of us, oddly enough. I would have no choice but to do what Asuma did, later on when the party started, but for now, no way. 

"Okuda, do you really think you're going out there dressed like that?" I asked, slipping my own tie around my neck. The boy in question sighed, and pulled at his tie, tightening it…slightly. Better then nothing…I suppose…

"Who's coming anyway? And why do we have to come?" Okuda snapped, fixing his shirt and tie when the front door creaked open slowly. (Meaning my dad was home.)

I shrugged, "Mostly rich people who my parents are business partners with. Miyako might come too, her family has an okay prestige." I tightened my tie and turned to Okuda, who had a question mark floating over his head and a blank expression.

"Prestige, means, you're family line." I added.

"Ooooohhh…" He muttered.

Asuma stood up, "Let's go already." (He wore no tie, as he had already suffered the highriding pants.)

"Well, aren't you three dressed nicely? I'm sure tonight we could find a fiance for all three of you!" My dad joked. Silence.

Asuma and Okuda stiffened.

I sighed.

My dad caught the hint and continued, "I want you three on your best behavior tonight, no horsing around and you'll eat like you did at the last party I hope. My business partners were appalled at how mannerly such people in the low economic range could be, and I should hope they are this time as well!"

Asuma and Okuda's stiffness turned into an annoyed stiffness.

"Be a good host Seki my boy, and remember, this is your night! I don't want you spending it sulking in the corner with Asuma and Okuda." My dad stalked off to see to the preparations.

And an hour later, I sat in the darkest corner of the main hall, sipping a glass of water with Asuma and Okuda pleasantly greeting everyone for me, as I hid behind them. I didn't want to see any girls my age tonight, nor any girls that would be potential fiance's. I hate fiance's.

"Hey, maybe you should ask Miyako to be your fiance!" Okuda teased good-naturedly. After the fight, he'd started being nicer to me, but that didn't stop us from arguing all the time.

"Hey, maybe you should ask Kaoru to MARRY you, that'd be a great match wouldn't it?" I snapped back sarcastically, in a very grim mood.

"Hey, maybe you should both SHUT UP, that'd be a great idea wouldn't it?" Asuma hissed sarcastically, annoyed by me and Okuda's whisper arguments, "Besides, Miyako's coming over right now anyway, you'd better watch both of your tongues, otherwise all three of our asses are gonna get tanned by Seki's Dad!"

In fact she was. With an old woman and man I deemed her grandparents. The man was tall and limber, his moustache and beard neatly gelled into a more italian look, with the thick curved moustache and the pointed beard. A black crisp suit that could've matched my Dad's exactly fit him perfectly. He had on small square glasses and held himself with great pride. The old woman had a kimono on, lavender and her hair was pulled into a plain bun on the base of her neck. She looked much more traditional japanese then the man.

Miyako, on the other hand, was nowhere in my sight. Or maybe that was just because Asuma and Okuda had hidden me even better upon seeing Miyako's family.

"Good evening!" The old woman trilled, "Aren't you three a group of handsome young men?"

Asuma and Okuda tensed. Three. 

"Thank you ma'am, you look beautiful yourself!" Asuma said, smiling pleasantly.

I inwardly gagged myself.

"It's a pleasure to meet Miss Goutokuji's family." Okuda added, also smiling pleasantly.

I inwardly died of disgust.

"And it's wonderful to see your grandaughter doing so well after that mishap." I added.

Asuma and Okuda made no reaction.

"On behalf of my granddaughter, I would like to thank you for this set of jewlery she seems to treasure so much." The man gestured toward the space between him and the woman, which was blocked from my view because of Asuma's head.

"Thank you." Miyako's voice came.

I discreetly kicked Asuma's heel, making him step aside, and making his mask falter for a second. Nobody but the old man noticed, and I could tell- the old man could care less.

And I could finally see her, after beating her up. She wore a plain dress, icy blue in color, that was more like a ballerina's dress then anything else. No, not that weird tutu crap, the regular skirt and spaghetti strap top, with strappy sandals. It wasn't anything special, and her hair was up in the way it always was. The only thing out of the ordinary was her long silk boa that wrapped around the small of her back and rested on her arms. I didn't know why Asuma and Okuda were examining my face so hard for a dash of pink or something.

She didn't look all that different from the way she usually looked.

"I hear you're Miyako's friend." The old man said.

"An accquaintence." I correctly him politely.

"Ah, I see. It should be a very profitable connection I think, but the connection I establish in the end is really up to my dear little butterfly. Unlike your father, if I may be as pompous to say so, I find that Miyako's happiness is more important then what I gain from marriage, do you not think so?" He asked me, staring at me with a stony stare, much like my own.

I struggled to find words and finally said, "I agree wholeheartedly sir, marriage should not be an extension of business for your life's partner is a very important choice."

The man laughed and said, "What a wise boy Kokuji has!"

Miyako smiled at me, and my two 'friends' stared at me even harder. One order of vein pop for me please.

"He would suit Miyako quite well. He seems like a very responsible boy, wouldn't you say?" The old woman asked her husband, examining me like Asuma and Okuda were staring at me, "He doesn't look half bad. Looks like you in your younger days!"

Asuma and Okuda suppressed laughs.

Miyako blinked and sweatdropped.

The old man coughed and said, "I highly disagree."

Thinking to myself, I wholeheartedly agreed with the man.

"Well, we'll have to put in a good word about him to his father yes?" The old woman said, "He's very polite! And his friends! I've never seen them before!"

"They're not apart of our social standing," Miyako said innocently, being rather harsh without having that intention, "Asuma and Okuda's families don't hold many shares of the Goutokuji family, nor the Kokuji family business's."

Order two vein pop's for Asuma and Okuda please.

I laughed, and I knew I'd be in for it when this was over, but the old woman started gushing over me again, and Miyako sighed in embarrassment.

"Ah, I see you've met my son!" My father's voice came, "He hasn't been too reckless has he?"

What was this, 'meet the parents corner?!'

"Oh no! He's very pleasant, and his friends! I'll never look down upon common folk again!" The old woman chirped, and Miyako's grandpa turned to talk business with my dad.

"You're dead." Asuma muttered to Miyako who ignored him to the fullest.

"You three look handsome!" She grinned, "I've never seen Okuda in anything more the street drabble."

"You're dead." Okuda echoed Asuma.

I sighed, and stepped on both of their feet, shutting them up, and I said, smiling pleasantly, and tilting my head slightly, "You seem to have healed up well Miss Goutokuji, how have you been lately?"

"Very well thank you." Miyako bent her knees a little but quickly straightened in a small curtsy, and said, "It was awfully unfortunate, my run in with that terrible boy."

Asuma and Okuda forgot about her unintentionally degrading comments, and stared.

"Indeed," I replied smoothly, "I should hope you never see him again!"

"Well, I hope quite the opposite!" Miyako replied, "I would like to show him what I think!"

I could see Asuma and Okuda silently arguing about whether to go or stay. Asuma pushed Okuda away, while Okuda grabbed Asuma and turned him around to watch. I could hardly care what they did, I wanted to know why she'd brought up the subject.

"I should expect you to dislike him with a burning passion? I surely would!" I said, feigning annoyance at my 'alter ego'.

Miyako shrugged with a faint smile on her lightly glossed lips, as she put a hand on her cheek, "It is something to be expected yes? After all, now my grandparents won't let me out the house without knowing exactly where I am! But I should like to see him again."

"You're not afraid of getting hurt again?" I asked feigning a different emotion- concern.

Asuma succeeded in dragging Okuda away, and I was extremely glad for it.

"Not really. The second time always hurts less then the first right?" She asked, catching me off guard as I stood silently. It took me a long time to realize she was mocking me, and I decided, I would make the second time hurt more then the first. But in the meantime, I lifted my hand, ready to punch her lights out.

She didn't react, simply watched my hand with a curious stare.

"I'm…going to make the second time hurt just as much." I whispered, and she smiled.

"I'll be waiting then! How about the park, Friday?" She smiled and I flinched. Indirectly, she was stabbing every little bit of me!

Struggling to reply and not punch her, I lowered my arm and muttered in a very fake polite voice, "I'll be there. It should be my pleasure to see you again Miss Goutokuji."

Miyako held up a finger to tell me to wait, and returned to her grandfather, asking for something, which he handed her. When she held it out to me, it was a light blue envelope, attatched to a long box- inside was most definetely a necklace. Was she kidding me?

"Thank you Miss, I should treasure this forever." I said, bowing politely.

The sarcasm was heavy, and I could tell the conversation was dwindling. There was nothing more to say, and I wanted to read the letter. But I couldn't, not with Asuma and Okuda around.

She curtsied, and excused herself, returning to her grandparent's side.

_You don't know me,_

She smiled and introduced herself to my father.

_And you don't even care…_

I found myself staring at her for a long time, watching her every movement.

That is, before Asuma draped one arm around my shoulders, and Okuda did the same on the opposite side, "Wow." Asuma said, shaking his head, surpressing a laugh.

"Beasted by a girl. A girl in a dress and talking like an english woman no less!" Okuda added, shaking his head like Asuma.

"Yeah. Sorry about that Asuma, Okuda." I said, shaking my head as well, killing their moment.

Order three vein pops for me, Asuma, and Okuda.


	4. Four Years Later, an Author's Note

Oh my god.

It's been about four years since I wrote this story, and… wow.

I am appalled with how incredibly horrible it is, hahaha.

It was hard for even me to follow, and I hope that, some time in the future, I will be able to re-write what was one of the first Demashitaa! Powerpuff Girls Z fanfics featuring the RowdyRuff Boys. (Wow this was before they even appeared in that series, and now the anime is completed. Heck, this was before the series even hit double digits! Mind-boggling how time flies.)

Anyway, I'm sure you're all wondering where I'm going with this little trip down memory rode. This little note is just a thank you to all my reviewers- I have so much gratitude for all of you for not flaming my elementary writing skills- in fact, even praising me with words that were seriously undeserved!

So again: Thank you all, very very much, and I hope that this time round, I will be far more deserving of the praise you were all so generous to share back in '06.

Very touched,

Sonique


	5. Chapter 4: We're Even Now

Well, thanks to **brother bandit**, I've decided to continue this story at the same time as I rewrite it- Many thanks to their amazing idea for this new chapter!  
I hope you enjoy it, and in the future, I'll be sure to put more in this little author's note area.

I'm going to continue writing in the same style as I had four years ago- In the sense that I won't tell you who's POV it is whenever it changes.  
It should be easier to follow now though, since I finally realized that my line breaks in Word weren't showing up in the Story Format.

In the meantime, please enjoy the continuation of Suteki Tear Drops! (God I really need to change that title.)

* * *

Chapter 4: We're Even Now

Standing on one of the more private balconies extending off of our lavish ballroom, I loosened my tie and took a deep breath. Ah, fresh, cool air. The breeze was just what I needed after that nerve-wracking confrontation. Leaning on the guard rail, I stared out across our estate. There was a small garden and fountain on this side- Not much more, since the ballroom was on the far western side of the house. Glancing down at the gift in my hand and the note, I glanced over my shoulder, making sure nobody had followed me out. Of course they hadn't. I'd stationed Asuma and Okuda near the doorway- they'd be able to engage anyone who tried to approach, but since they were commoners, nobody would see any need to approach this area and risk being associated with them. I thought to read the note first, but chose to open the necklace box first- I didn't want to do what she wanted me to do.

I didn't want to be predictable, because I knew I wasn't a predictable person.

So I opened the box and found that it wasn't really a necklace. It was more like... well, the chain was long enough so that I could wear it and nobody would see what was hanging off of it. A simple, little sterling silver bird. It was probably only the size of a dime, and I thought it was rather cheap of her. Still, I had to remember that her family wasn't _nearly_ as affluent as mine.

Peeling the cutesy little sticker off of the envelope, I slid out a simple notecard that was nowhere near as long as my letter to her. Well, hopefully it had an explanation for the bird.

_I don't want your heart._

_But we're even now._

I stared at the huge, round letters for a very long time. I turned the card over, thinking there might be more scrawled into the back. I tried to peel the paper apart- maybe it was a card and I could open it, and there'd be something there.

But there was nothing.

I felt my throat burn, and my chest stung. Swallowing the lump in my throat I checked the envelope for something I'd missed, but there was nothing there either. Sliding the notecard back into the envelope I sealed it again and turned it over in my hands one last time.

In vain.

Well this had been what I'd wanted. I didn't like her the way everyone thought I did. She wasn't smart enough for me, and she was too… too happy. Too high-maintenance. (Though not nearly as much as Momoko. I felt for Asuma there.) But I… I had never expected that she would let go of me this…. This _easily_. I felt a lot of things on that balcony. I felt insulted. I felt irritated. I felt…

I felt a little hurt.

But I would never admit that. I snapped the lid to the box shut, shoving the worthless note into my pocket and stepping back into the ballroom.

"So," Okuda began.

"How'd it go?" Asuma finished.

I shrugged, betraying nothing. Perhaps she had given me a heartfelt confession of how, even after all I'd done to her, she still loved me. For all they knew, she might have. I certainly would've felt a lot better if she had, but at this time….

"C'mooon," Okuda nudged me in the ribs, smirking at my unreadable expression, "Tell me, is the rest of this party a waste of time or do we seriously gotta start considering these girls for our future pain-in-the-ass?"

I punched him lightly on the arm, "Doesn't matter what she said- you guys should still be looking."

"Oi oi," Okuda grinned at Asuma, "Our Seki is in good enough of a mood to throw a punch! Looks like good news to me!"

"I told you they have the best chemistry." Asuma shook his head at Okuda as the two began to… well, be happy for me. Even though they were celebrating for all the wrong reasons. I chose not to correct them though. There was no need for them to know right away that any plans involving me and Miyako in the future were essentially doomed to fail. Only one more hour until the end of the party.

I tried not to seem disappointed when I didn't see Miyako again for the entire fiasco. At least, not until the very end, in which she just gave me her innocent, wide-eyed stare and passed by without saying a word to me. That _almost_ bothered me more than her note, which left something to be desired.

And then she let me know she was leaving, and I was pissed. She had attended for the sole purpose of privately humiliating me!

I glowered at the boy she had hooked arms with- undoubtedly her escort. I would've sunk her entire family business- but her grandparents standing behind her waiting for their turn to bid me a goodnight looked just as bewildered at the sight as Asuma and Okuda- who were standing beside me, of course. She obviously hadn't bothered to spend much time letting this guy get acquainted with her family. It wasn't even really his presence that bothered me. It was that she was just doing this to get back at me. It was obvious- he had blonde hair like me, blue eyes like me, and probably the only difference was that he was older than me- taller than me.

I didn't recognize him as someone who had been on the guest list, and that meant he hadn't been invited by my family. Probably some random fellow she'd asked to show up halfway through just to piss me off.

"I'm sorry to be so late in introducing you guys, but- there were a few… complications." Miyako gave me an apologetic smile, "This is Takaaki-kun."

I noted that she failed to recite the exact nature of their relationship.

"Takaaki-kun, this is Kokuji Seki." Miyako gave him that smile that she'd always given _me-_ and he smiled that smile that I'd always given _her_.

"It's nice to meet you." He held out a hand, and I shook it, "I'm sorry I couldn't have talked to you earlier- you seemed a little busy."

"The pleasure is mine." I replied in a far more subdued manner than was probably appropriate. I failed to comment on how much of a shame it was that we hadn't been able to have more conversation. I politely wished her grandparents a nice trip back to their home, and expressed the desire to see them again as was customary, and was a mixture between glad to see them go, and extremely angry at myself for having let them leave the way they did.

Asuma and Okuda stood in mutual silence after they quartet had walked away, and I didn't find it in me to turn around and face their questioning looks.

"Girls are stupid anyway." Asuma pointed out quickly.

"Yeah, they're not worth it." Okuda tacked on, and I turned the necklace box over in my hand. I'd been holding onto it all night, since my father wouldn't exactly have been pleased if I went back to my room, and I didn't want to leave it with a butler. Not that I didn't trust them, I just…. wanted to hold onto it was all.

"You know it hasn't been that long, but…" Asuma folded his arms, "We can't just _overlook_ this."

Okuda was silent, and I assumed that he'd simply nodded in agreement. They both seemed kind of quiet, and that bothered me too. It wasn't like _I_ had been the one who had been in love with her! So why were they treating me like I'd just had my heart trampled all over?!

"We should leave it alone for awhile." I suggested to Asuma, feeling a tug that told me not to tell him to leave it alone, but rather present the idea. He looked at me for a long while- assessing me in that way he always did. He wasn't as rich or as cool as I was, but this was why I thought of him as our 'leader'. He didn't seem like it, but he was more perceptive than me and Okuda combined.

"If you want to." Asuma finally agreed, and Okuda deflated, "Okuda's arm still isn't working right anyway, right Okuda?"

"Yeah yeah." He conceded, folding his arms.

"She told me to meet her tomorrow anyway. I'm sure there's an explanation." I reasoned. "I'll text you guys if it turns out we do need to show them who's boss."

Asuma nodded and Okuda shook his head.

"I can't find my cellphone." Okuda admitted.

It was really quiet for a long time as Asuma and I stared at Okuda.

"I figured I'd find it before the next time we messed with them, so I didn't mention it, but like, I had it at home and then the next day at school it wasn't there." Okuda shrugged like it wasn't a big deal, "I bet my dad found it and decided it was cooler than his or something. He'll put it back where he found it once he figures out it won't work for him."

Asuma rolled his eyes and I sighed.

"What?" Okuda demanded as though he was the victim, "It's not like I can do anything about it!" He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a plastic green card that looked just like a credit card, save for the fact that it had no numbers or barcodes on it, "I still have my card, so it's not like anyone else can do anything."

"Fine, fine," Asuma shoved his hands into his pocket as the three of us walked back into my room, the last guest having left a few minutes ago. "But find it by tomorrow Okuda, jeez. You don't lose these kinds of things."

---

"Wooow… I can't believe this plan is actually working."

"I would never have guessed it was this."

"… It's not very unique."

"It's not as cute as our belts, anyway."

Sitting around a green, square device, Professor Utonium, Ken, Kaoru, Miyako, and I stared down at the object of all of our attention. What Ken had theorized as the key to getting back at the RowdyRuff Boys. The trigger- the thing that let them transform. Okuda- or perhaps more accurately, Butch's cellphone.

"Do you think it's safe?" Miyako asked innocently, scooting behind me a little.

Miyako's timid nature only spurred on Kaoru's brazen one however, as she reached out a hand and patted the device, "I think it is. I carried it all the way here and it didn't bite or explode or anything."

Professor Utonium rubbed his chin, "I think it's safe to assume that it acts just like the belts do. No purpose other than being a catalyst for transformation. If that's the case, we should lock it up tight…"

"They probably have something that's equivalent to the rings too," Ken pointed out, "If we can figure out what that is, then… maybe it'll be easier to take then a cellphone. I mean, they'd notice, wouldn't they? That all their phones are disappearing?"

Miyako's head sunk into her shoulders, nodding a little almost in shame.

"What's wrong?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"W-… Well, last night…" She began, but she didn't continue her story. Setting a dark navy blue cellphone beside the green one, she smiled sheepishly at everyone. The cellphone spoke for itself.

"No way!" I cried, "Good job, Miyako!" She'd been the one I'd been the most worried about. She didn't seem like the type to steal, and I hated putting her up to the job. But who else could get close enough to Seki with a good reason for it?

"How did you do it?" Kaoru asked, having told us all about her escapade on the jungle gym with Okuda earlier.

Miyako didn't seem quite as keen on telling us her methods, so I changed the subject for her.

"That just leaves me." I sighed, sitting back and folding my arms. As far as I was concerned, I had it the hardest out of the three of us. Seki wasn't stupid, but he was really trusting- especially of Miyako. Okuda was stupid, even if he was suspicious of anything without a Y chromosome.

Asuma, on the other hand, was smart _and_ mistrustful. He was a tough cookie to crack, and even true love hadn't done the job. I felt my scalp and resentfully thought of him pulling on my hair. Things wouldn't have been as difficult if memories of our date didn't keep popping up in the middle of everything. He'd been a little brash, but… that was what made him cute. It was his charm point…

"I'll figure something out." I sat back up, ready for business, "I think we should concentrate on the two we have first though. We need to make sure that they're safely out of the RowdyRuff Boys' possession until we figure out a way to make them unable to transform- or at least until we give them a good beating."

It was Kaoru's turn to look uncomfortable. "That's unfair. I don't want to fight them if they're just boring human boys- that's like trying to take candy from a baby."

"What do you propose, Kaoru?" I asked in exasperation, "Get beaten up again?"

She pouted.

"We'll leave it to you, Professor Utonium." I announced, standing up and unconsciously feeling for my belt.

"Sure you'll be okay on your own, Momoko?" Kaoru asked, "Miyako and I can help if you want. We already got ours, so it's not like we have anything to-"

I shook my head pointedly, "No," I interrupted her before she could offer their aid, "It wouldn't be fair if I asked for your help."

Kaoru and Miyako exchanged looks, "It's not about being fair, Momoko." The blonde began slowly, cautiously. I wanted to do this on my own though. I could do it, I knew I could.

I just didn't really know how.

"Be careful- Brick probably still has both his cellphone _and_ whatever they need to activate it." Ken warned me as I swept out of the door.

Just what I needed right now.

A reminder that Asuma could beat me up however he liked at the drop of a hat.


End file.
